Excavator and loader



w.' A. LE Du EXGAVATORV AND LOADER Filed llarch-3, 1945 4 Sheets-heet 1INVENTCR w. H. Lew

ATTORNEYS W. A. LE DU EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filled March I5, 1945 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR llu,

ATTORNEYS Refi. EL ig'. w; A, LE DU 2,415,597

EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filed March 3, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 mwN-ron S:

ATTCRN EWE EXCAVATOR AND LOADER Filed March 3, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Patented Feb. il, 1947 Claims.

This4 invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide animproved tractor mounted, earth excavator and loader.

Another object. of the invention is to provide a tracmr mounted, earthexcavator and loader operative'- to load its scoop ahead of the tractor,and to discharge said scoop into a truck or the like at the rear of thetractor.

A further object of this invention is to embody in an earth excavatorand loader, as above, a combination scoop and earth discharge chute (ci.eri- 100)- unit of novel design; said scop and chute unit being mountedfor power actuated movement between a digging and scooping positionahead of the tractor adjacent the ground, and a dis-T charge and truckloading position to the rear of the tractor and some distance above theground.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an excavator andloader as in the preceding paragraph, in which said scoop and chute unitis supported by a unique rail assembly for 'Enlevement between its frontend digging position and its rear end discharging position.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by perusal of the followingspecication and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

l Figure 1 is a side elevation of the excavator and loader, with thescoop and chute unit in its front end digging position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation showing the scoop and chute unit moved toan intermediate position between its f ront end digging position and itsrear end discharge position.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the scoop and chute uni't in itsrear end discharge position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the excavator and loader showing the scoopand chute unit in the intermediate position of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the implement comprises a rigid, open supporting frame,indicated generally at I, which is adapted to be secured on the frame 2of a tractor 3; the frame I projecting upwardly and being disposed inthe main above said tractor. The frame I includes transversely spacedvertical end posts Il at the rear, and transversely spaced, forwardlyand upwardly inclined end posts 5 at the front; the upper ends of thefront posts 5 being disposed ahead of the tractor. The frame alsoincludes suitable longitudinaland transverse braces as shown.

A longitudinally extending rail assembly, indi" cated generally at 6,comprises a pair of rails l connected together in unitary relation, withthe rails including substantially semi-circular, rearwardly facingcradles 8 at their forward ends for the purpose later described. Thisrail assembly 6 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on theforward and upper portion of the frame I;

by means of a cross shaft 9 connected between the upper ends of frontposts 5. 'I'he shaft 9 pivots the rail assembly at a point closer to thefront of the latter than to the rear, and for' swinging movementlengthwise of the tractor between an upstanding position as in Fig. 1,and

a lowered position, as shown in Figs. 2.-4 inclusive, wherein said railassembly is disposed' at a relatively slight upward and rearwardinclinemainly above the main frame and tractor. Stops I0 on the front end ofthe rail assembly engage cooperating parts I I on the tractor when therail assembly is in said upstanding position while stops I2 on the rearend of said rail assembly engage frame I and limit the lowering of saidassembly to a predetermined position.

A fixed pair of rails I3 are disposed in transversely spaced,longitudinal extending relation adjacent but to the outside ofcorresponding ones of the rails 1; said rails I3 being mounted on theframe I and extending at an upward and rearward incline from adjacentthe top of front posts 5, and terminating adjacent vbut short of thevertical transversal plane of the rear end of the tractor. The inclineof fixed rails I3 is considerably greater than the incline of the rails'I of rail assembly 6 when the latter is lowered.

An elongated combination scoop and chute unit, indicated generally atIll, comprises a scoop I5 at its front end and an open ended chute I6 atits rear end; said unit including common, full length sides. This scoopand chute unit I t is supported adjacent its forward end by a carriagewhich comprises a front transversely spaced pair of rollers Il and arear transversely spaced pair of rollers I8; corresponding rollers iland I8 being alined longitudinally of the implement,

wardly projecting reduced diameter roller portion I9 transversely spaceda distance suiiicient to engage and ride the fixed rails I3. y

The tractor is provided with a rear end power winch of operatorcontrolled type, and a cable 2| leads from this winch upwardly overdirection changing pulleys 22 and 22a on the main frame and rear end ofthe rail assembly, respectively. Thence the cable connects with thebottom of the scoop and chute unit substantially centrally thereof.

Operation The scoop and chute unit I4, together with the rail assembly6, tend to move by gravity, when cable 2I is paid out, to the positionshown in Fig. l, wherein the rail assembly is in upstandingposition,with said scoop and chute unit I4 in front end digging position; thefront rollers I'I then seating in cradles 8. When the scoop and chuteunit is in this digging position, a. forwardly facing hook 23 on thebottom of such unit engages over cross shaft 9 and prevents the unitfrom falling forwardly or rising under the thrust of a diggingoperation; the hook being so engaged by slight forward falling of saidscoop and chute unit.

After the scoop l5 is filled by advancing the tractor, the operatoractuates winch 2D and pulls in the cable 2|, which results first, in therail assembly swinging from the upstanding position of Fig. 1 to thelowered but inclined position of Fig. 2. Thereafter continued pull onthe cable causes the loaded scoop and chute unit to leave the cradles 8and ride rearwardly on the rail assembly 6; the hook 23 having clearedthe cross shaft 9 when the rail assembly swung to its lowered position.

When the double front rollers I1 reach the lower ends of the fixedrelatively steeply inclined rails I3, the roller portions I9 engage andride up said rails causing the forward or scoop end of unit I4 -to raiserelative to the rear end thereof, as the rear rollers t8 remain on railsT. Upon the rollers Il and I8 reaching the rear ends of the rails I3 and'I respectively, and at which time roller portions I9 abut againstcradles 24 on the upper ends of rails I3, the scoop and chute unit ispositioned, as in Fig. 3, at a rearward and downward slope; the rearopen end of chute I6 being above and to the rear of the tractor. Theload in the scoop I5 then discharges by gravity from the scoop l5,through the chute I6, and

`into the body of a truck or the like stationed at the rear ofthetractor. Upon release of the cable 2|, the implement gravitationallyreturns to its front end digging position and the above described cycleis repeated.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulls the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in `practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful and upon which letters Patent is desired:

l. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to bemounted on a tractor, an elongated rail assembly, means pivotallymounting the rail assembly on the frame for swinging movement in alongitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding position in asubstantially vertical plane in front of the tractor and a loweredlongitudinally extending position...... above and over the tractor, a.scoop' and 'chute u-nit supported on the rail assembly for move'- menttherealong, said unit including a scoop at its front end and a reardischarge chute, said scoop and chute unit being in front end diggingposition when at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter is insaid opstanding position,` and said scoop and chute unit being in a rearend discharge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and thelatter is in said lowered position, power means to swing the railassembly from upstanding to lowered position and to move the scoop andchute unit therealong from digging to discharge position, and meansoperative upon movement of said scoop and chute unit to dischargeposition to relatively elevate the front end thereof whereby to imparta. downward and rearward incline thereto; said last named meanscomprising a rearwardly and upwardly inclined member mounted on theframe alongside the rail assembly, and a laterally projecting element onthe scoop and chute unit positioned to engage and ride up said inclinedmember upon movement of said unit to discharge position.

2. An excavator and loader as in claim l in which the scoop and chuteunit includes longitudinally spaced rollers adapted to ride the railassembly; said laterally projecting element being an extension of afront roller.

3. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to bemounted on a tractor, an elongated rail assembly, means pivotallymounting the rail assembly on the frame for swinging movement in alongitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding position in a sub-'stantially vertical plane in front of the tractor and a loweredlongitudinally extending position above and over the tractor, a scoopand chute unit supported on the rail assembly for movement therealong,said unit including a, s'coop at its front end and a. rear dischargechute, said scoop and chute unit being in front end digging positionwhen at the lower end of the rail assembly and the latter i's in saidupstanding position, and said scoop and chute unit being in a rear enddischarge position when at the rear end of the rail assembly and thelatter is in said lowered position, power means to swing the railassembly from upstanding to lowered position and to move the scoop andchute unit therealong from digging to discharge position, and meansoperative upon movement of said scoop and chute unit to dischargeposition to relatively elevate the front end thereof whereby to imparta. downward and rear' ward incline thereto; the 'rail assembly havingtransversely spaced, parallel rails and the scoop and chute unitincluding front and rear pairs of transversely spaced rollers adapted toride on said rails, said last named means comprising other rail-slongitudinally mounted at an upward and rearward incline on the fra-meon opposite sides of the rail assembly position when the latter is,

plane between an upstanding position in a subunit supported on the railassembly for movement therealong, said vunit including a scoop at itsfront end and a rear discharge chute, said scoop Aand chute unit beingin front end digging position when at the lower end of the rail assemblyand the latter is in said upstanding position, and said scoop and chuteunit being in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of therail assembly and the-latter is in said lowered position, and powermeans to swing the rail assembly and to move the scoop and unittherealong; the scoop and chute unit being supported by transverselyspaced rollers and the rail assemblirlifg including transversely spacedrails upon which the rollers are adapted to ride, there being ciadles onsaid rails at the front end arranged toA receive said rollers and tothus support the scoop and chute unit in its Adigging position.

5. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to bemounted on a tractor, an elongated rail assembly, means pivotailymounting the rail assembly on the frame for swinging movement in alongitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding position in asubstantially vertical plane in front of the tractor and a loweredlongitudinally extending position above and over the tractor, a scoopand chute Vunit supported on the rail assembly for movement therealong,said unit including a scoop at its front end and a rear discharge chute,said scoop and chute unit being in front end digging position when atthe lower end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said upstandingposition, and said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end dischargeposition when at the rear end of the rail assembly and the latter is insaid lowered position, and power means to swing the rail assembly and tomove the scoop and unit therealong; there being holding means betweenthe scoop and chute unit and rail assembly operative to prevent relativelowering or forward tilting of said unit when in said digging position,such latter means includimng ahook projecting from the bottom of the .infront ofthe tractor and a lowered longitudinally extending positionabove the tractor, an elongated scoop and chute unit including a scoopat its front end and a rear discharge chute, front and rear transverselyspaced pairs of rail engaging rollers supporting said unit, said scoopand chute unit being in front end digging position when at the lower endof the rail assembly and the latter is in said upstanding position, and

n said scoop and chute unit being in a rear end discharge position whenat the rear end of the rail assembly and the latter is in said loweredposition, and power means to swing the rail assembly and lto move thescoop and unit therealong; said power means comprising a winch mountedon the tractor adjacent the rearI and a cable leading upwardly from thewinch over a direction changing pulley on the overhead frame, thenceleading to and over another direction changing pulley on the rear end ofthe rail assembly, and then being connected to the scoop and chute unit,whereby said cable is a single means effective to both swing the railassembly to lowered position and to move the scoop and chute unittherealong from front to rear.

7. An excavator and loader as in claim 6 in which the rear pair ofrollers is disposed some distance ahead of the rear end of the chute;said cable connecting to the scoop and chute unit adjacent thetransversal plane of said rear pair of rollers.

8. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to bemounted on a tractor, an elongated, unitary rail assembly includingtransversely spaced, parallel rails, means pivoting the rail assemblyintermediate its ends on the overhead frame adjacent the front ends ofthe ,latter for swinging movement in a longitudinal vertical planebetween an upstanding position in front of the tractor and a loweredlongitudinally extending position above the tractor, an elongated scoopand chute unit including a scoop at its front end and a rear dischargechute, front and rear transversely spaced pairs of rail engaging rollerssupporting said unit, said scoop and chute unit being in front enddigging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and thelatter is in said upstanding position, and said scoop and chute unitbeing in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the railassembly and the latter is in said lowered position, and power means toswing the rail assembly and to move the scoop and unit therealong; therebeing cradles on the front ends of the rails to receive and support thefront pair of rollers when the scoop and chute unit is in diggingposition.

9. An excavator and loader comprising an overhead frame adapted to bemounted on a tractor,

an elongated, unitary rail assembly including transversely spaced,parallel rails, means pivoting the rail assemblyintermediate its ends onthe overhead frame adjacent the front ends 0f the latter for swingingmovement in a longitudinal vertical plane between an upstanding positionin front of the tractor and a lowered longitudinally extending positionabove the tractor, an elongated scoop andchute unit including a scoop atits front end and a rear discharge chute,

front and rear transversely spaced pairs of rail engaging rollerssupporting said unit, said scoop and chute unit being in front enddigging position when at the lower end of the rail assembly and thelatter is in said upstanding position, and said scoop and chute unitbeing in a rear end discharge position when at the rear end of the railassembly and the latter is in said lowered position, and power means toswing the rail assembly and to move the scoop and unit therealong; therebeing cradles on the front ends of the rails to receive and support thefront pair of rollers when the scoop and chute unit is in diggingposition, and a holding hook projecting from the bottom of said unitintermediate its ends and automatically engaging with a cross shaftwhich comprises the rail assembly pivot, when said front rollers are insaid cradles.

10. In combination, a prime mover, a frame supported by the prime moveradjacent the forward end thereof, a rigid continuous rail unit pivotedintermediate its ends to the frame, the unit in one operating positionextending in a sub- 7 stantially vertical plane ahead of the prime moverand in another operating position lying substantially longitudinallyabove and over the prime mover, power means to move said unit from itsfirst named position to its second named position, the pivotalconnection between Vthe rail unit and frame including a shaft, a cradleat the Iorward end of the rail unit, a scoop, rollers on the scoopengageable with the rails of the rail unit and ridable along the same, ahook on the back of the scoop, the hook being engageable with the shaftand the forward rollers being engageable with the cradle when the railunit is in vertical position whereby to hold the scoop from then fallingforwardly or downwardly, and means to pull the scoop along the railswhen the rail unit is lying in its substantially longitudinal position.

WENDELL A. LE DU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille ofthis patent:

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